The College Years

Pondering...

2006-11-27T18:46:00.000-08:00

So I have a question...

I know you can be in the wrong place at the right time. But can you be in the right place at the wrong time?

I'm bad at this

2006-10-30T01:13:00.000-08:00

So it's obvious, I'm just not a natural at blogging. In fact, I'm bad at this. Many people can be so consistent with their blogs. Always having something fresh, some new perspective. I don't have that. Let's face it guys... college isn't that interesting. Okay, so it maybe just be a tad better than I'm making it out to be. College is just starting to resonate it's beauty again. We just finished our mid-terms, not entirely fun. On top of mid-terms was a week of quiet time, which ment for 21 hrs of the day the dorms were meant to be quiet. It begins to make you a little crazy. As far as the exams, I did really well. It's surprising how well you can do on exams when you're actually interested in what you are learning. This is a picture of me and my friend Sara when we were just a little distracted while studying..

The Beauty...

... & the Beast (It never gets old)

After mid-terms, five us celebrated by going to Fright Nights at the PNE. It was SO much fun. There is five haunted houses, with each it's own theme, and each terrifying. Also we got to go on some of the rides. Like the wodden rollarcoaster, my personal highlight of the evening. Also there was another rollarcoaster that you actually went upside down in. That didn't actually didn't freak me out until I saw Aarons head actually upside down thne I thought, "Holy CRAP, I'm flippin' upside down!" But it was heaps of fun. But then the downer of the evening (enter intense music).. The Beach Party. This is a ride that my friends forced me to go on. The first time they rode it I stood on the sidelines and watched, fully knowing there was an extremely high possiblility it would make me sick. Sure enough the next time they go on I go on, like I said. Well this ride is like the Gravatron, and Pirate ship combined (for all those who don't go to amusement parks ask your friends what those rides are and, oh get out of the house more!). The ride started out fine, actually somewhat enjoyable. But then for some reason the speed changed, I don't know if it went faster or slower but it stopped working for me. I got NAUSEOUS. I closed my eyes and literally prayed that God wouldn't make me be one of those kids that pukes on a ride. I prayed that over and over. God is soverieign, and he does provide. I didn't puke!! But there was a bit of a recovery after that. ALSO, it was pouring rain, like really pouring rain. Like so rainy that my shoes were squishing, my shirt was dripping, and my hair could be wrung out. But it was still AMAZING!

In the midst of mid-term week I did take a break to enjoy the beautiful day and the soccer game. And it was worth it! I apologize ahead of time for those who are weak of stomach, and don't respond well to gore. Okay, so at the soccer game a guy broke his like, not just broke but from the other side of the feild we heard it snap. Like SNAP! Oh boy... that was crazy. Here's a little snapshot of my other lovely, Kyla and Me.

Alright, enough is enough. I think that the pictures once again justify my absence from my blog. And the wonderful detail of fright night and almost chucking. WELL, until next time folks...

Here and there

2006-09-30T17:10:00.000-07:00

So I don't have much to update so I'll just go over my last week and abit. Exactly one week ago was 80's night which was pretty fantastic. I dressed up as the girl from Flash dance, but apparently no one but me has ever seen Flashdance, so conincidently no one could say, "Hey you look like the girl from Flashdance" and that's kinda what I was hoping for. BUT regardless, it was pretty fun seeing everyone dressed up. There was some kareoke which was pretty entertaining. Reuben in fact pulled me up when they were singing and lets just say I was a little red. Following that we went bowling. Definetly caught a few stares from the people there. Here's a picture of me and Kaitlin at the bowling alley...

Anway. The one ministry that I'm involved in, the one explained in my last post about the Bus and downtown East Van official starts on Monday. And I'm so pumped. I LOVE this ministry. It's been sooo stretching and I love it. I encourage everyone to just once in your life volunteer in a street ministry. You will see things very differently. It helps that the team I do my ministry with is flippin' amazing. We took our team pictures on Thursday night. The team was "emo". The pictures were pretty successful. See for yourself..

We look like flippin' rockstars! This is my personal fav from the bunch. Anway, I'll update again in a bit, but I think the pictures make up for the lack of posting.

two weeks later...

2006-09-18T13:03:00.000-07:00

For everyone that knew, I used to have a blog. These things are not as easy for me to use, I sort of forget about it! But I love you all and want you to know about the amazing journey God's taking me on.

We've been in classes for two weeks now and it's been amasing so far. I've really enjoyed just being in an atmosphere where I get to open up my Bible and learn everyday. God has presented me so many new perspectives and challenges for me through many of the lectures we have. Coming from a non-Christian highschool, it's so insane for me to be in classes where we get to talk/discuss/argue/grow with God... at SCHOOL!

As a part of our program we have to do two ministries. One is going downtown East Van to feed/cloth homeless people on a big bus. The bus isn't quite out until October so we have been going down just to familiarize ourselves with the area and start to build friendships. Last Monday was our first Monday going down. For those of you that haven't been to downtown East Van area would never be able to understand the extent of to poverty until you see it. I was overwhelmed to say the least. I was actually really doubtful that God had put me in the right team and that I would be a good fit with this ministry but after some tears and prayer we started walking around the area. I felt released of my doubt, and rose with a confidence that could not of been from anything but God. So we walked a block down to the Union Gospel Mission for Youth. We were going to try and volunteer but they were closing, so we just hungout with some people that were sitting outside. I met a girl named Trish, she was pregnant, and it was fairly obvious just from talking with her the drug abuse she'd experienced. But we talked like friends, about our hair, favourite colours, just life! It was AMAZING! I think too often we look at homeless people as un-lucky, animals that mistakes. I myself was guilty of this mindset. But the are sooo empty and just crave a friendship. I'm sure I got a lot more out of the encounter between Trish and I than she did. All week I've been thinking about her. She was only wearing a pair of capris and tee-shirt and that's all she owns, but unfortunatley it started raining on the mainland so I can only imagine how cold she's been! Anyway, to say the least this ministry has been a great challenge, but great for sure!

Our second ministry is a church plant in Mission. We had our first service yesterday! It was really cool being apart of a church that was zero days old. I felt really blessed to be working with the team that was already inplace there, they were sooo organinzed. I helped with the kids progam which was fun! I got a water ballon thrown at me which was... fun. We will only be doing those services once a month until after January then we will be having services every week. It's going to be really neat seeing the whole thing evolve.

So, so far the whole College experience has been fantastic! I learn more each day, have new things put on my heart, and challenged more and more. What more could I want!? Please keep the ministries I'm invovled in in your prayers!

Until next time...

Day one..

2006-09-04T22:50:00.000-07:00

So I started my journey over to my new home in Abbotsford on Sunday afternoon, leaving on the 1:00pm ferry. My parents and I made a short pit stop at my grandparents place in White Rock. Had an completely UN-restful sleep and then left the next morning bright and early to keep on going. I made it here before all the rest of the Sidney kids and then got all unpacked and organized my room with the lovely, multi-talented, Kaitlin. She's my roommate! Our room does look particularly adorable. Nothing extraordinaryly exciting has happend. We had a team meeting today with all the Omegas to just get an overview of the whole course. It's crazy thinking in April I'll be leaving for Gautemala and El Salvador! Anyway, that was the highlight. It's been really relaxed and not much has been going on for the most part. Classes don't start until Thursday. But tomorrow morning I have to take and entrance exam, on the bible! Oh yeah, I have that thing memorized! NOT. I'm probably going to fail but apparently that's A-okay. Anyway, I don't really have much more to say. Oh they eat alot today.. it felt like all we did was eat! I will leave everyone with a small token. This was me and Reuben playing around w/ my amazing computer after I got settled in. And if any of you have a MacBook, or an apple computer you'll know and love this program. Photo Booth, it's amazing. Enjoy!